exploring gender differentials in adoption of sustainable intensification practices in northern...
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Findings
Conclusions
1. Rates of adoption
Figure 2: Adopted SIPs by gender
Figure 3: Effect of SIPs on maize yield(kg/ha). Figure 4: Effect of SIPs on net income(GHC/ha).
The gender of the plot manager does not affect the adoption of SIPs.
The adoption of SIPs differs across female farmers in both male and female headed-
headed households respectively.
The adoption of SIPs depends on access to essential resources such as labour, land,
livestock, and other factors.
The adoption of the combined SIPs had the greatest benefits in general.
The adoption of improved maize had the greatest impact on maize yields. However,
the adoption is associated with the use of more inorganic fertilizers, which are very
expensive to most small-scale farmers.
ReferencePretty,J.,Toulman, C&Willams,S.(2011). Sustainable
intensification in African agriculture. Int.Jour of Agricultural
Sustainability.
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4038
1815
95
-14
7751
-16
68
Improved maize increased yield by 95%, CSD decreased
yield by 14%, and improved maize with CSD increased
yield by 77%.
Improved maize increased net income by 51%, CSD decreased net income by 16%, and improved maize with CSD increased net income by 68%.
Mr. John Baanaah, a farmer in northern Ghana shows off hismaize harvested.Credit:IITA/Jonathan Odhons
Women contribute greatly towards most farming activities and family food
security in Africa. Nevertherless, they are confronted with many challenges
such as low productivity, lack of institutional supports, low farm incomes,
lack of access to credit, and family burdens including domestic chores.
Sustainable Intensification (SI) of smallholder agriculture systems can help
address the contraints of low productivity and low farm incomes.
SI involves the application of multiple inputs and practices in an integrated
manner to increase productivity while increasing contributions to natural
capital and environmental services (Pretty et al., 2011).
To explore the gender differentials in the adoption of Sustainable Intensification Practices (SIPs), To determine the impact of SIPs on maize yields and net income.
A total of 468 farmers were randomly selected from 16
Africa RISING intervention
communities for the survey (Figure 1). Farmers were interviewed with a
structured questionnaire.
The questions were centered on areas such as crop production,
marketing and transportation, etc.
Three SIPs were considered in this study: improved maize, cropping system
diversification(CSD), and the combination of the two SIPs.
A mixed multinomial endogenous treatment effects model was used to
explore the adoption of SIPs as well as extimate the impact of SIPs on maize
yields and net income. The model was estimated using a Maximum Simulated
Likelihood (MSL) approach.
2. Adoption patterns of SIPs
Using non-adoption as a reference category. The model estimates show that;
The gender of the plot manager does not influence the adoption of the SIPs.
Female farmers in female-headed households are less likely to adopt improved
maize and CSD, whiles their counterparts in male-headed households are more
likely to adopt CSD.
Factors that affect adoption and impact of SIPs include household size, land
tenure, livestock ownership, educational level, farmer's age, group membership,
improved seeds, number of traders the household knows, plot distance, soil
characteristics, agro-ecological zone, and source of information on SIPs.
2.1. Average treatment effects of SIPs
Figure1: Africa RISING intervention communities in northern Ghana
Exploring Gender Differentials in Adoption of Sustainable Intensification Practices in Northern Ghana
Shaibu Mellon Bedi1*, Bekele Hundie Kotu2,Cornelis Gardebroek1,Stephen Frimpong2
1Wageningen University and Research Center, The Netherlands2International Institute of Tropical Agriculture, Ghana
*Corresponding author email: [email protected]
AcknowledgementThis research publication was made possible with support fromUnited State Agency for International development (USAID) through the
Africa Research In Sustainable Intensification for the Next Generation
(Africa RISING) program as part of the US Government's Feed the Future
Initiative.
Introduction
Research Objectives
Material and Methods